Brothers, Now And Forever More
by Phoenix of the Air
Summary: Brotherhood built over a strong and dependable friendship can withstand the ravages of time. And deep within the forest of Ithilien, the friendship of Legolas and Faramir show one such example of friendship. A glimpse into their lives. One-Shot. Complete. Please read and review. :)


_Author's Note:_

_Kindly note that this is only friendship. Please respect this viewpoint. Any form of abuse is not tolerated._

_Disclaimer:_

_Do not own Lord of the Rings. Original characters belong to me._

_Enjoy! :)_

**~S~**

_Set six years after the War of the Ring._

_Forest of Ithilien._

_Gondor._

**Part 1**

"He lives," shouted a laughing sentry, who had made his post high up in the trees.

Legolas looked up from his table, expecting to see Aragorn trudge up to meet him. Instead, much to his surprise and delight, he saw a cloaked figure come up.

"Of course, I live." The Ithlien Ranger muttered, loud enough for the sentry to hear, who laughed merrily. The man peered up, squinting in the sunlight. "How can I not, with you elves singing day and night? My word! Your voices never tire."

The sentry grinned down from his tree. Other sentries slowly joined him, eager to participate in the argument. "Forgive us, Lord!" The sentries cried. "But the War is over and the Dark Lord is dead. It is time for us to be merry and sing!"

"But the War was six years ago!" Faramir exclaimed.

"Years are nothing to us, Lord!" The elves cried. "Six years are but a passing moment to us. We will celebrate for many years to come."

"By that reckoning, I will be long dead before you tire." Faramir replied, his eyes twinkling in merriment. "But I believe I will be hearing your songs even after my death!"

The sentries laughed, immensely enjoying their light banter with the Steward. Legolas coughed lightly. "I believe my sentries are on duty." The Prince said mildly. Hearing the gentle scolding, the sentries withdrew, still chuckling.

Legolas turned his head towards Faramir, who walked up to him and placed his weapons against the leg of the table.

"Is it really so troublesome?" Legolas asked, referring towards the singing. "I can tell them to stop if you wish."

But Faramir was already shaking his head. "Do not listen to me." He said. "I only complain because they enjoy it and I only argue because they enjoy it. I meant it," Faramir added, raising his hand to silence Legolas' next words. "Ithilien needs to be loved and flourished as it should be. Even if it means listening to your singing. Every. Single. Day." The Steward added, emphasizing the last three words. Legolas smiled softly and let the matter drop.

Faramir leaned forward and glanced at the charts and maps scattered over the table.

"A war council?" Faramir asked wryly. "I assure you, my friend, my complaint to your blasted singing is not at all that serious."

Legolas laughed and pulled the Steward closer so that he could see the map better. "In truth, my friend," Legolas explained. "We are actually hunting down a group of orcs that have been troubling us of late."

"You and your heightened hearing," Faramir said wonderingly. He had heard nothing of orcs from his men. The Ranger moved towards the maps, studying them more intently than before. "So, what seems to be the problem?"

The elven commanders smiled, their regard for the Steward growing. A good leader must know when to give his full attention to the matters at hand.

One of the commanders gestured towards the map. "Our scouts spotted a small band of orcs near the River Anduin. We did not give them heed much, for they were only ten in number. But we soon spotted other orcs making their way slowly into the forest. They met together in one place here," the commander tapped his finger on the location. "And now we have roughly fifty orcs. They are ruining our game and our water supplies. And they killed one of our scouts." The commander's face became grim. "We have yet to recover his body."

"They are quite aggressive." Faramir noted, frowning. The orcs were on the elves' side of the Ithilien Forest. Ever since the War, the orcs had been aggressive in the beginning but as time flew by the aggressiveness soon stemmed and now, most of the orcs flee rather than fight.

"They are quite desperate."

"Indeed," Legolas agreed.

"So what do you intend to do?" Faramir asked.

Again, the respect the commanders had for their elven lord's friend increased to a new level. Faramir had asked what they intended to do. By doing so, the Steward acknowledged that the elves had the upper hand in the matter.

"Well, before I bring in my Ranger, I intend to scout that area myself." Legolas said, taking his dual knives that had been lying on the mess on the table and buckling the belts. "After I do so, then I will bring in my Rangers. Are you coming?"

"Are you going now?" Faramir asked, surprised.

"Aye, of course now! Think you that I will resolve this matter when winter has come and gone? If you want to come, do so quickly!"

"I am coming, I am coming!" Faramir protested, hurriedly picking up his own weapons. He did not notice the grins of the commander as they watched the playful banter of the two lords. Faramir followed Legolas as the latter set off at a large pace. Faramir's teasing and complaining voice floated back to the war table.

"And you did not offer me any hospitalities…"

**Part 2**

Legolas and Faramir were both dressed in light green and brown colors of the Ithilien forest. Hooded and cloaked, the two ghosted through the trees and bushes, making use of the wind movements and the colors of the forest to blend into the forest itself.

As they neared their destination, Legolas and Faramir slowed down their pace and moved more carefully. The sounds from the said location reached their ears and they communicated with one another through hand movements, indicating the choice to just come to the edge of the gathering.

They both hid behind the same tree once they reached the said location. Looking over the edge, Legolas and Faramir noted that the orcs had truly been desperate; they ate hungrily. The orcs had cut away the trees and bushes to form a rough clearing. They cannot see more; the orcs were too many for one small space.

Legolas touched Faramir's shoulder slightly to get his attention and gestured upwards, indicating that they should climb. Faramir nodded and went first, Legolas following close behind. The two settled on individual branches and looked down.

The first thing that the elf noticed was the body of his fallen scout pushed against the edge of the clearing. Legolas tensed in his anger, but Faramir placed his hand on his shoulder. Legolas calmed. Now was not the time.

Legolas moved forward slightly, intending to come near to the edge of the branch. But to his utter dismay, his footing slipped and he fell. Fortunately, Legolas grabbed hold of a lower branch and swung safely and noiselessly back on top of the branch. Faramir heaved a small sigh of relief.

But the opportunity was far too good to miss. "Did I see a wood-elf slip there?" Faramir teased. Legolas smirked and replied in a low voice, "Any more flippant remarks and you may found yourself in the middle of those orcs, my friend."

"Surely, you wouldn't be so cruel." Faramir drawled.

"One word of this to the dwarf…"

"Would I ever do that?" Faramir asked innocently.

Legolas gave the Ranger long-suffering look and smirked but did not reply. His attention had gone back to the orcs.

"They certainly make a lot of noise." Faramir commented. Legolas was about to reply when he suddenly tensed in anger. "What is it?" Faramir asked.

The elf made no reply but pointed instead. Two women lay, unconscious and bound within the clearing. There was a group of children-Faramir counted five of them- tied to a tree at the edge of the clearing.

"None of my people were supposed to leave my domain without an escort!" Faramir hissed. "How on Middle-Earth did the filth get their hands on them?"

"I do not think they were without an escort." Legolas murmured, pointing towards the orcs. That moment, Faramir realized just what the orcs were eating.

"Oh, please, no…" Faramir muttered, suddenly revolted.

The Ranger was too dazed to realize what Legolas was doing. The elf quickly loosened his arm bands and brought his bow forward from his back.

"Here," Legolas said, giving Faramir a small horn. "Take this and make your way to the far side of the clearing. I will free the children and the women. When I give the signal, blow it thrice. My company is patrolling nearby, and they will come."

"Are you mad?" Faramir hissed, pulling his comrade back on the branch when Legolas made to drop down. "There must be over fifty of them. Surely you do not plan to take them on yourself."

The elf looked puzzled. "Of course not. That is why I gave you the horn." Legolas said reasonably.

Faramir gave a vent of exasperation. He could never understand the elf's path of reasoning. "But they will take time in coming! We must go back and call them."

"By that time your people will already be dead. We have to act now." Legolas said before adding, "Besides, I am sure we can take on a few rogue orcs."

"A few!"

Legolas raised an eyebrow, "Come now. Surely you have noticed that they have not yet detected our presence."

Faramir started to protest but stopped. Truly, the orcs were making so much noise that they hadn't even realized the presence of two tasty preys right above them. Faramir looked back at the elf, who was grinning.

"You are mad." Faramir decided. Legolas' grin grew wider. "I knew you would see it my way." Legolas replied.

Legolas dropped down on the soft floor, his feet making no noise. Drawing up his cloak about him, the prince made his way around the boundary of the clearing, making use of the trees and bushes to obscure his movement. Faramir watched the elf for a while before descending the tree himself.

Not blessed by the elves' silent ways in fieldcraft, Faramir was more careful as he slowly lowered himself down the tree. He crouched and crept forward, taking a route at the edge of the boundary. He chose a tree that was thick enough to hide him. Faramir peeked out from the edge and searched for Legolas, but he found no sign of him. Suddenly, the elf appeared beside the bound children. Though the elf was not talented much in concealment, he could be very stealthy when he needed to be.

Faramir watched as the elf took out his knife and cut the children free, whispering a little to calm their fears. He gestured towards the forest, indicating that they should hide in the trees while he and Faramir took care of the orcs.

He saw Legolas hesitate slightly. The women were too far from the edge of the clearing and they could not be freed while arousing suspicion. But if Legolas went into a straight attack, the women could be caught in the middle of the battle. Regardless, the elf would have to make a decision quickly. Twilight was approaching, and Faramir would not be able to see in the dark.

In a few moments, it seemed that the elf had reached his decision. And as Legolas rose from his hiding place and brought his bow up, Faramir stepped out from behind his tree and let loose a blow from the elven horn.

**Part 3**

The orcs were momentarily stunned as one of their own fell from Legolas' arrow. Their heads turned towards their intruder and then again in the opposite direction as Faramir let out a clear blast from the elven horn.

Faramir dropped the horn and stepped back, pulling out his bow as he did so. Orcs raced towards him, wielding their blades as they came. Faramir took down four or five of them with his bow before shifting to his sword. Glancing past the orcs, Legolas was still using his bow, taking down orcs easily.

Faramir hissed in pain as one orc managed to slip under his guard and cut his arm from elbow to wrist. Faramir maneuvered quickly to dodge other blows and felled a few more orcs.

Horns blasted through the forest, answering Faramir's first call. Elven Rangers marched through the trees and into the clearing, coming to aid at once to the elven prince.

"_You certainly took your time." _Legolas shouted out to the appearing Ranger Leader of the group.

"_We were waylaid." _The elf-leader said, laughing slightly as he downed another orc. _"And you have not left many orcs for us, lord!"_

"_Then you should have come sooner!" _Legolas retorted, taking out his dual knives once the orcs came too close. The elf-leader laughed in reply.

"Alfred," Faramir said, recognizing his serious second-in-command among the incoming reinforcements. "How come you are here?" Faramir noticed more of his men.

"We came upon the group of elves who were waiting on their lord's call. When we heard the blast, we decided to join along." Alfred said, going back-to-back with his superior in order to protect Faramir's blind side. The man added, "We figured we would find you in the heart of trouble."

"You speak as if I have the tendency to get into trouble…" Faramir trailed off as he focused on the fighting.

With the coming reinforcements, the battle was over in a few more moments. Faramir embedded his sword into the ground and leaned heavily on it. Alfred was directing the men to pursue the fleeing orcs and Legolas and the elves were handing over the children and the women to the men for a safe escort back in Faramir's domain. There was other work to be done; the elves needed to check what else the orcs had ruined and the clearing needed to be… cleared? Faramir smirked.

"Any casualities?" Faramir asked when Legolas walked towards.

"None, fortunately. A few cuts and bruises, but those were to be expected."

"That is good news."

"Are you wounded?" Legolas asked, coming to stand in front of his friend.

"Nay," Faramir responded, moving his injured arm away. Legolas noticed and shook his head. Coming forward, he wrapped the lower part of his cloak around Faramir's arm and pressed it down to stem the flow.

"Your lady wife will have my head." Legolas said, pressing down more firmly on Faramir's wound.

"She will not be the first." Faramir said, hissing.

"Nor the last," Legolas said, smiling.

The two of them shared a smile. Their friendship was quite different than the friendship each of them shared with Aragorn or even Éomer. Friendships with the two kings were loud and boisterous kind, a whirlwind of jokes, playful insults and occasional humorous banter. But their friendship was more of a quite kind. They rarely spoke of it, but it was always there; like a strong bond that never loses its strength. They had been courteous at first, careful not to arouse ill regards in the other. But over time, they soon learned much about one another. It was quite companionable kind of friendship. Some say that their friendship had become brotherhood, but the two always kept their silence in the matter. If their friendship truly had taken a turn towards brotherhood, neither Legolas nor Faramir would speak of it. Both cherish their relationship as it is.

"You know my father was asking about you." Legolas said.

"Really?" Faramir said, startled at the change of subject. "What did you tell him?"

There was a glint of mischief in the elf's eyes.

"I told him that you were like me."

The elves and men looked at their way, startled as the Steward laughed heartily at the accusation.

_To my father, the King of Mirkwood (my apologies, Eryn Lasgelen)_

_Father!_

_It feels good to write to you again. All is well here. (I know you are surprised). Truly, all is well here. How goes it in our beloved forest? I suppose the days are going dreary without your favourite and only son away from you. Rest assured that I will find my way back to you soon. In the meantime, I would suggest that you would enjoy the silence!_

_Faramir is doing well. He had gotten injured in a skirmish some time ago (and it was not my fault). I will tell you the story later… or perhaps I will not. _

_As for Faramir, he is a little like me. (I know you are disappointed!) But perhaps, not completely like me. He possesses that type of eerie calmness that reminds of the kings of old from the Race of Men. But if you know him well enough, he has a good sense of humor and a strange curiosity for the things around him. I suppose that curiosity helps in fieldcraft._

_He is dear to me; he is a good friend and one of the few I can trust with my own life. Should you ever wish to meet him, I will introduce him to you gladly. _

_I have made new additions into my city. I also added some of Gimli's designs into our architecture. It makes for easier living. I will not give you more description on the dwarven participation for I fear that you would refuse to visit Ithilien entirely! Come, come, Father! It has been three or four years since I had shifted to Ithilien. Although I do come to visit Eryn Lasgelen, why not return the favor and visit Ithilien. Queen Arwen, our Lady Evenstar looks forward to your arrival. (I may or may not have promised your participation in the winter festivals without consulting you!)_

_The hour grows late and other things demand my attention. Farewell, dear Father. We will speak again._

_From, _

_Legolas Greenleaf, (who is coincidentally your son!)_

Thranduil laughed heartily as he read and reread his son's letter. Legolas had always had that streak of impudence in his personality. The boy had utterly refused to learn the formal ways of writing a letter. Hence, most of his letters were informal and teasing. True, he and Legolas both could mind-speak to one another, but Legolas always possessed a childish delight in writing letters.

And there was something else. Legolas' friendship with Faramir had become deeper than before. They have become brothers; it was plain for the eye to see. The two lords would not speak of it because it was in their nature to cherish these things in wondered silence.

Thranduil smiled as he slowly folded the letter. The two have become brothers from a strong friendship, and such friendship can last even through the ravages of time.

**~S~**

_Author's Note:_

_Reviews are very appreciated. :)_


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